


Lost and Found

by Rachel500



Category: Stargate SG-1
Genre: Drama, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-06-22
Updated: 2009-06-22
Packaged: 2017-10-19 23:18:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,032
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/206300
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rachel500/pseuds/Rachel500
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sam goes missing in the Pegasus Galaxy and Jack heads out to find her...</p>
            </blockquote>





	Lost and Found

**Author's Note:**

> Stargate SG1 is somebody else's, probably MGM/Gekko Corp/Sci-fi, and I freely admit that whoever's it is, I'm borrowing their show and they retain all rights, etc
> 
> Written for the GW Sam/Jack Appreciation June 2009 Ficathon. Prompt "Lost". This is set during Sam's time in Atlantis somewhere between Midway and Trio but this is very much a SG1 story.

**Lost and Found**

'I'm sorry, Jack.' The apology in Hank Landry's voice did nothing to reassure Jack O'Neill. 'Atlantis has just reported that Colonel Carter's missing.'

Jack gripped the phone hard enough that the plastic cracked. 'How long?'

'Two days.' Hank informed him gruffly. 'They called in ahead of schedule to inform us.'

'What happened?' Jack demanded, pushing aside the surge of anxiety and focusing on the facts. He tugged on his tie.

Hank cleared his throat. 'She went off-world to perform a detailed trade negotiation. There was an ambush. She was grabbed. Three of the men with her are dead. Hissock survived and raised the alarm.'

'And?' prompted Jack, his free hand pushing through his short grey and white hair.

'All they know is the attackers were human.' Hank sighed heavily. 'They initiated a SAR as soon as Hissock made it back to Atlantis. Ronon backtracked the perpetrators' movements to the gate. They believed it was likely she was taken off M7Y898 and Doctor McKay managed to get the data from the control crystal to keep following the trail.' He paused. 'They found evidence on the other planet that a space ship of some sort had been on the ground and the gate hadn't been dialled out in a long while. Colonel Sheppard has taken a puddle-jumper looking for signs of radiation or an energy signature to try and find a sign of where the ship was heading.'

Jack closed his eyes. It wasn't good news. If she'd been taken aboard a ship and it had disappeared into hyperspace...

'I have the Daedalus diverting to the area on its way back from Atlantis to perform a long range sensor sweep.' Landry said gruffly. 'And I'm formally requesting that the Apollo break orbit asap for the Pegasus galaxy.'

'Granted.' Jack stated, inwardly regretting not for the first time the loss of the Midway station and the Intergalactic bridge which had provided instantaneous transportation until the Wraith had tried to use it to attack Earth. His eyes darted to the red phone on his desk because he had every intention of joining the Apollo and he'd need to clear his absence with the President. There was a small gut fear that Hayes would say no.

'I assume you're heading out to the Pegasus galaxy to oversee the SAR.' Hank's statement had a flush flooding over Jack's cheeks.

Jack knew he really had no professional reason to go to the Pegasus galaxy; his motives were all personal, all to do with it being Carter who was missing, and Hank was aware more than most as he was among the selected few who knew the two were married.

'SG1 have just returned from P8T521.' Hank continued mildly. 'I'm certain they'll request to join the Apollo when I inform them of the situation.'

Jack would have smiled but he couldn't muster one under the weight of his worry. 'Will you deny the request?'

'They have nothing scheduled that won't wait.' Hank conceded briskly. 'I'd be inclined to agree but I wanted to run it by you first.'

Jack knew Hank's gesture was also personal because SG team assignments were the purview of the SGC commander; Homeworld Security had little influence in that direction. His friend simply wanted to check Jack didn't mind having the others along for the ride. 'Sure.' Jack agreed quickly. He wasn't going to turn down the help of the SGC's premier team nor the support that would come with it in the shape of his old friends, Daniel Jackson and Teal'c. 'The more the merrier.'

'I'll inform Colonel Ellis.' Hank concluded. 'Good luck.'

The phone line went dead before Jack needed to reply. He dropped the receiver into the cradle and closed his eyes as he allowed himself one moment to give into the panic that bit at his every nerve. Carter was missing. _Missing._

He opened his eyes and reached for the red phone.

o-O-o

Shots peppered the tail of the small space craft she'd stolen from her captors and Sam fought to keep it steady while she evaded. She felt the bitter tang of failure that she'd been captured in the first place but she acknowledged that the ambush had been flawless. Sam remembered a glimpse of movement; she'd shouted a warning, her weapon rising even as the air sizzled with an energy beam of some kind. She'd been hit and had fallen into darkness with a swiftness that had saved her from having to endure more than only a minor second of agonising pain from the stun blast.

How long had she been out? She had no idea. Her watch had been stopped by the blast. She only knew she'd woken hungry and thirsty. She'd been treated relatively well by the bounty hunters; food, water, a comfortable cell. She had quickly realised her captors had thought she was Elizabeth Weir, the former leader of Atlantis. She was a prize to be ransomed to the highest bidder and they had treated Sam as though she wasn't a threat. Their mistake. They'd underestimated the real Elizabeth never mind an Air Force Colonel with years of experience under her belt, Sam thought with grim satisfaction.

The woman they had sent with the food had lowered her guard and Sam had taken her weapon with ease. She'd stripped the woman's unconscious body; dressed and tied her up. The black leather jumpsuit was tighter than she would have liked, emphasising her curves in a way that made Sam feel self-conscious and wishing she could brazen it out like Vala. She'd wrapped a grey length of cloth torn from her bedding around her blonde hair and hoped for the best as she'd sneaked out of the cell. Her disguise had been poor and wouldn't have held up under close scrutiny but she'd managed to avoid detection and had found the bay with the small spacecraft when she'd dived into a room to hide. She had quickly climbed aboard and had blasted her way out, hoping to find a nearby Spacegate.

Another shot rocked the craft and Sam swore under her breath. Unfortunately, there was no Spacegate and the planet below was encased in a white mist. She couldn't make out any signs of a land mass and with no sensors – or ones that she could read at any rate – she couldn't even check whether it had a planetary Stargate, or more importantly whether the atmosphere was breathable.

Suddenly, a fireball erupted behind her; the larger ship had imploded. The damage she had caused when she had left must have caused secondary reaction, Sam thought grimly. She held on as the blast wave hit her craft; it rocked wildly and careened towards the planet.

An alarm sounded in the cockpit. It was loud and jarring, filling her head with painful noise even as she slapped at the console until it shut off.

She was out of options, Sam realised. The craft was damaged; she could feel it in the sluggish response. If she stayed in space she would be stranded and trapped within it. She turned the nose toward the planet, calculating in her head the speed and angle of entry required. The metal around her shook violently as she descended. Fog filled the windshield and she had no visibility just her own judgement in the angle of descent. She held her breath as she continued downward.

Light zig-zagged in front of her causing her to stifle an alarmed cry; her heart raced in her chest. There were electrical storms all around her; flashes of light through the white.

Her craft bucked underneath her as though in protest.

 _Please_ , Sam begged the universe, as she fought to hold her transport together; fought to keep the plummet through the clouds controlled.

The fog lifted abruptly and Sam eased the nose up as she levelled off, thousands of feet over a dusky green landscape. She bit the inside of her cheek. Trees and vegetation indicated oxygen. She breathed a sigh of relief. Now, if she could find the Stargate...

Suddenly everything stopped; the sound of the engines, the lights...

She'd lost power. Sam gritted her teeth as she glided the craft through the air. She had to land. There was no other choice. Her eyes desperately searched the landscape below.

An open expanse appeared before her like a gift and she manoeuvred the small craft towards it. She lowered her altitude; eased back; got the craft positioned, and landed with a jolt. She skidded along the grass, dirt and debris flying up in her wake until the craft stopped.

She was down.

Sam unclamped her fingers from the stick and wiped the sweat from her brow. She had escaped but she wasn't safe. She was on a strange planet and while the craft was powerless she was defenceless. Given she'd been taken onto a spaceship it was unlikely Atlantis would be able to find her so she couldn't count on a rescue showing up. Her thoughts drifted alarmingly to Jack and she yanked them back desperately. If she allowed herself to go there even for a minute...

She had to focus. Her lips firmed; fix the craft; find the Stargate – if there was a Stargate – and get the hell out of Dodge.

It was a plan. Not much of one but it was a plan.

o-O-o

Jack stared out at the hyperspace streaks and wished for a sea of stars instead. After a while, the blurry lines all began to blur together especially when sleep was elusive and his body tired enough to protest at being upright. What he appreciated though was the speed; hyperspace meant they would get there faster. He decided he could live with the blurry lines. The stars could wait until he could enjoy them with Carter. He resolutely picked up his metal mug and took another swallow of the strong bitter brew that masqueraded as coffee in the Apollo's mess.

Teal'c slipped silently into the chair opposite him. The Jaffa folded his hands together on the cheap table top and regarded Jack with an all too familiar gaze.

'This is a most difficult time, O'Neill.' Teal'c opened.

'I'm fine, T.' Jack countered. 'But thanks for the concern.' _I don't want to talk about it._ The panicked thought zipped through his head.

Teal'c's dark eyes gleamed at him.

Jack lowered his gaze. Teal'c had come back from a time dilation bubble with a whole new gravitas to add to the old; a weird sense of knowing that was hard to define but was there, hiding underneath the surface. There were times Jack felt jolted by the difference or, more accurately, by the knowing. He blew on the coffee and slowly raised his eyes to meet Teal'c's over the rim of the mug, trying hard not to squirm under the intent stare.

'Colonel Carter is a most capable warrior.' Teal'c said firmly.

Jack nodded. Carter was good. And it wasn't as though she hadn't been missing before. He took another careful sip of his coffee, lowering his gaze again.

'She will not cease in her efforts to return to you, O'Neill.'

His eyes flew up. Had the big guy just given something up about the time dilation bubble? The Jaffa had been notoriously close-lipped ever since it had happened after briskly informing them all that they had agreed he would not disclose what had happened in the fifty years they'd spent in the bubble. Jack had pointed out that he hadn't actually been in the bubble to agree to anything.

Teal'c's eyebrow rose as he though he had realised Jack's thoughts. 'I have told you nothing you did not already know yourself, O'Neill.'

Jack's lips twisted ruefully. He had known; he _did_ know...Carter would be doing everything she could to stay alive; to come home. In his more positive moments he even acknowledged that it was possible that she'd be back in Atlantis before they even got half-way there.

But if she didn't...

Memories of turning up in the nick of time on previous occasions zipped through him; a needle glinting ominously in the harsh light of a medical lab; a zat raised against her on the ill-fated Prometheus; a super-soldier intent on killing her...

If she was in danger from her latest captors; if they hurt her in any way...

He was unaware of the dark look in his eyes; the way his jaw tightened.

So they'd be the cavalry again. They'd save her if she couldn't do it on her own. It was what they did.

'You should rest.' Teal'c admonished him gently.

'I'm fine.' Jack asserted tersely.

Teal'c looked at him for a long moment as though assessing whether to fight about it. He nodded slowly. 'Then I shall wait with you.'

Jack didn't reply. His fingers tightened momentarily on the metal mug before he raised it and pointed at the window as the lines outside wobbled and blurred again. 'Nice view, don't you think?'

o-O-o

Sam wiped her brow and took in the babbling brook with relief. She lowered the makeshift pack she'd rigged, dropped to the ground and cupped her hands to scoop the water into her mouth for an initial hesitant sip. It was fresh water; unsalted with a slightly bitter taste. She scooped up more and drank enough to quench her thirst before submerging a bottle she'd found on the spacecraft when she'd scavenged for useful items.

She pulled a face. The spacecraft had simply run out of gas. It seemed like such a prosaic reason. It was fuelled by some miracle liquid, maybe some variant of naquadria, and she'd been unable to find the space equivalent of an emergency can stowed anywhere. She'd searched the hold; the cockpit; the small engine room. Nothing. In the end, with no food and water in the spacecraft, she'd known she would have to go in search of both if she was going to survive.

She'd remembered the brief glimpse of a river when she had been searching for a landing spot. She had known it was some distance away but had hoped it was closer. She had been walking for hours. She looked up at the darkening sky. Night was drawing in. She needed to build some kind of shelter; find some food and settle in.

She set about her tasks with grim determination, ignoring the aches in her muscles, the hunger gnawing at her belly and the tiredness that weighed down her limbs. The small lean-to she constructed under a group of trees wasn't the most attractive of accommodations but it would suffice. She checked the river for fish but there was no sign. She hadn't heard any birds either or seen any wildlife on her journey and she was concerned. She needed a food source. She ended up gathering one of the plants that looked vaguely like spinach and hesitantly nibbled on the leaves, hoping it didn't make her sick.

The meal was meagre and Sam finished it only with a stubborn determination. She knew she'd need to find something else to eat the next day or she would become severely undernourished. She considered whether to try and start a fire and dismissed the idea. The air was warm enough even though it was dark. She looked up and frowned.

The sky was blanketed in thick cloud; the stars obscured.

Loneliness rushed through her along with a wave of vulnerability. She changed her mind about the fire. Time disappeared as she found some firewood and kindling; as she rubbed sticks together fiercely in an old fashioned method to create enough friction to generate heat that enabled the fire to catch. She sat back satisfied as a cheerful blaze flickered up in front of her. With the task completed, her thoughts returned all too easily to her predicament.

Sam sighed and poked the fire. She was alone. She'd checked for the team she'd been with when she had escaped her cell but the other holding cells had been empty. She hoped the team she'd been with on M7Y898 had gotten away OK. The four Marines were good men. She'd known Bailey and Jones from their previous assignments on SG3; Hissock and Gent had both served at the Alpha site. She bit her lip.

All of them had been good; all of them had been ambushed. She let herself remember the mission; the trade negotiation had concluded satisfactorily. She had been pleased; flushed with the success. Had she been too wrapped up in her achievement, she wondered. Bailey and Gent had taken point on the way back to the gate; she'd walked behind with Hissock and Jones. There had been some chit-chat but nothing that had distracted them from watching for trouble. She shook her head. There was no point second-guessing what had happened. She could only hope the men had been stunned as she had been but, unlike her, had just been left behind on M7Y898; that they had eventually returned to consciousness and gone back to Atlantis to raise the alarm.

She was aware that it was the best case scenario.

She shivered despite the fire and brought her knees up to her chest, wrapping her arms around her calves. She stared at the flickering flames; the bright yellow and red so vibrant in the vast darkness.

Worst case, Sam mused grimly. Worst case, her men had been killed and nobody had survived to inform Atlantis. They would have missed their check-in; John would have sent a team to investigate; they would have discovered the bodies and realised she was missing.

Either way, Atlantis would be searching for her. The problem was the space travel. Sam rubbed her nose. Even if they had realised she had been taken away by ship, a puddle-jumper had limited sensor capability. The Daedalus would probably be diverted from its return journey to Earth. Maybe they'd get a residual energy reading to indicate a hyperspace window; maybe they'd get a general direction of travel but truthfully, they had no idea of the destination or route taken by the space pirates who'd kidnapped her.

Atlantis would keep looking. She knew that. They wouldn't give up on her just as they hadn't given up on Elizabeth Weir who they'd continued to search for until the news of her death. Sam felt a wave of sadness.

She had genuinely liked Elizabeth. The other woman had been fiercely intelligent with a strong moral code and an unwavering loyalty and dedication to her team and Atlantis. In many ways, her first few months in Atlantis, Sam had truly felt she was only keeping the seat warm for when they'd find Elizabeth and bring her home. It had suited her to think that way; she hadn't really wanted the job.

They'd just defeated the Ori and, maybe it was selfish, but she'd been enjoying the relative peace, the opportunity to work through projects, the extra time to spend with her friends, with Cassie, with Jack. She hadn't wanted to leave that for a job in another galaxy where she'd be facing enemies on every front. It had only been her sense of duty that had prevented her from telling the President and the IOA to find someone else. She couldn't deny that it was a great move career-wise; a command position that made use of her scientific and military skills. And maybe since Woolsey's evaluation and the news of Elizabeth, she'd started to enjoy the challenge, to fully grasp her opportunity, to feel that the Atlantis team had accepted her.

They would look for her.

And so would Jack.

Sam felt her heart seize and she closed her eyes as she lowered her forehead to her knees. He would have been informed as soon as Atlantis reported her MIA. He'd be frantic with worry although he wouldn't show it to anyone. Daniel and Teal'c would know any way. They'd all been friends – family – too long to be able to hide much from each other. She hoped they were together. Jack would need them.

She rubbed her upper arms. Even if they searched for her the odds of finding her were astronomical. She couldn't rely on a rescue; she had to make her own way home. She just couldn't see how she did that without a Stargate. It was time for a plan B. Not that she had a plan B, Sam thought as giddy hysteria rose up and bubbled over into a laugh that was brittle and edgy rather than bright and carefree, but it was definitely time for one.

o-O-o

Jack woke abruptly. His heart pounded with alarm. His memory came back in a flood as he stared into the unfamiliar shadows of the Apollo's VIP quarters.

Carter.

Missing.

He glanced at his watch. He'd managed two hours of sleep. He'd dreamed of Carter. He'd been standing on the opposite side of a blue flickering force-shield, unable to save her and unable to leave her; save himself. Jack scrubbed a hand over his face, grimacing at the feel of bristles along his cheeks and jaw, the stiffness that had invaded in his body in sleep. He swung his legs off the bed and pushed himself into a sitting position.

He felt old.

He felt useless.

All he could do was sit and wait. The Apollo was pushing her speed. He knew that. They were already a day ahead of schedule.

Carter had been missing for five days. Their last long range communication with the SGC had delivered the news that McKay had somehow boosted the puddle-jumper sensors and found evidence of an unusual radiation signature. The Atlantis team had tracked the direction of travel, met up with the Daedalus and they were now making small jumps along that axis hoping to track the radiation signature with the Daedalus's more sophisticated technology.

Jack knew it was like looking for a needle in a haystack. He dropped his head into his hands and covered his ears as though to block out his own negative thoughts that they would never find her; his fear that he'd finally lost her for good. He hauled himself off the bed and into the adjoining bathroom.

He showered, shaved and redressed in fresh BDUs, resolutely not thinking about Carter, about the situation. He headed out with no real destination in mind. He just wanted to be active; to be doing _something_.

His feet took him towards the glider bays and Jack wondered whether he subconsciously wanted to make an escape; to get free of the lumbering Apollo and go in search of his wife unencumbered. He slowed as he heard voices and as he rounded the corner, he found a group of glider pilots and Cameron Mitchell huddled around a makeshift table with a star-map of the Pegasus galaxy rolled out across the surface. All of the personnel snapped to attention.

'General.' Mitchell acknowledged Jack with a sharp nod. His demeanour was perfectly professional but Jack could see the remnants of concern and fatigue in the other man's face. A small jealous part of Jack wanted to snap and tell Mitchell he had no right worrying about Carter but Jack thrust it away. Mitchell had served with Carter for two years before her assignment to the Pegasus galaxy and they'd been friends before that.

Jack gestured as one of the men stepped aside to allow him to approach. 'So what's going on?'

The squadron leader, Cliverton, cleared his throat. 'Colonel Mitchell had the idea we could leap-frog between the Apollo's hyperspace jumps with the gliders, sir.' He gestured at the star-map.

'Leap-frog?' Jack asked, his curiosity rising. He leaned over and took a look.

'Yes, sir.' Mitchell replied. 'When the Apollo comes out of hyperspace at point A, two or three of the gliders can make shorter jumps in between A and the next jump destination B. Incoming gliders can rendezvous at point B; outgoing cover the ground between B and C.' He waved. 'You get the idea, sir.'

He got it.

'We can cover more ground.' Mitchell added needlessly.

Jack could see the axis of search already drawn out across the star-map; the Daedalus was taking one end; the Apollo, the other. The planned jump points for the Apollo were marked out by red pins and the pilots had started to use blue pins as they calculated their own. It gave them a better chance of picking up the radiation signature McKay had found. 'Ellis approve this already?'

'Yes, sir.' Mitchell nodded with satisfaction. 'We've also sent a communiqué to the Daedalus suggesting they use the same technique from their end.' He shifted impatiently as though keen to get started.

Jack understood the restlessness – the same feeling had driven him to wander down in the first place.

His eyes found Mitchell's across the small table. 'Good plan.'

'We'll find her, sir.' Mitchell said confidently.

Jack found he couldn't muster a smile of encouragement. He tapped the star-map and straightened. 'Put me down for a rotation in one of the gliders.'

Mitchell looked at him with understanding. 'Will Teal'c act as your second chair, sir?'

Jack shook his head and a smile appeared on his lips as he turned away. 'You know Teal'c; he'll probably want one of his own.'

o-O-o

The forest had given way to scrubland; fields and fields of unrelenting exposed grass. The river was beside Sam on her right as she followed its meandering flow. She hoped it would eventually lead to a settlement. Daniel had once told her civilisations usually sprang up around sources of fresh water.

The river had started providing nourishment; shellfish which tasted similar to clams, some small fish and a plant she'd seen a lizard eat a couple of days before and decided to try, only to find it tasted like chicken. It was weird but she could live with it. With the occasional berries she found, she was getting enough food to keep her going even if she had lost weight.

The heat was relentless.

Sam had fashioned the grey cloth around her head in a bandana and had found a sturdy length of wood to act as a walking stick. She practiced using the stick as a weapon every time she stopped and rested. Teal'c had once shown the basic staff weapon moves, and the wooden stick wasn't too dissimilar. It and the energy weapon she had purloined from her captor were not her only means of defence. She had found some suitable rocks in the shallow edges of the river and had worked on the edges until they were sharp. She had two; a medium sized one which could act as a weapon and a smaller one that she used for cooking.

All in all, she was fairly proud that she had remembered so much of her survival training even if she did wish that she hadn't been given the opportunity to put it into practice.

Sam stopped to rest. She lowered herself to the ground and took a drink before wiping the sweat from her head and neck. She wished she was wearing her usual BDUs – anything other than black leather. It did cover her and provide some protection but it was damned hot.

She plucked a handful of nuts and berries that she had packed away and ate them slowly. A lizard approached cautiously; its large lithe green body matched by its large hands of three fingers and a thumb. It remained flush against the ground almost more feline in movement than reptile, more like a small dog in size. It looked at her with unblinking yellow eyes.

'Hi, there? Do you want some?' Sam thought her voice sounded rusty after days of disuse. She held out her hand with some berries inside the cupped palm.

The lizard finally blinked and scurried away again. Its body blended with the grass instantaneously, hiding it from view.

Sam sighed. It reminded her of the Gadmeer; a race of aliens that they'd encountered during her first assignment to SG1. The Gadmeer had been lizard-like but they had been unable to exist in an oxygen based environment. It was deeply unlikely that the lizard was any relation.

She looked up at the sky and its thick band of white cloud that obscured the sun. It had to be some kind of atmospheric anomaly, Sam thought; maybe some kind of chemical reaction between two gases that created the fog.

She plucked a blade of grass from the ground and played with it as she rested. Would she ever find any one on the planet who could help her, Sam wondered morosely.

Her plan B had been to try and get the communications device she had removed from the space craft to work. But every effort to find some way to power it had failed. Plan C to follow the river in the hopes of finding help wasn't going much better. She had been walking for eight days with no sign of any humanoid habitation.

She felt so alone. But then it wasn't an unfamiliar feeling since her arrival in Pegasus. Leadership was a lonely gig; the phrase 'lonely at the top' depressingly all too true. For all the Atlantis team had welcomed her, she was too aware that she was their boss, not their friend nor their team-mate. Perhaps she should relax more, Sam mused. Take Teyla up on her offer of tea, ask Ronon to spar with her. Maybe even spend a day with McKay and Zelenka in the lab or play some golf with Sheppard. Get to know her people as people.

She missed SG1 fiercely. Missed how they all just knew each other's moves and beats. How she knew Teal'c tilting his head meant he was suspicious or how Daniel frowned meant that he had concerns; the tone Mitchell used when he was confused but didn't want to admit it and Vala's snarky humour in the face of a threat so like Jack.

She missed Jack. God, how she missed him. Their relationship had been long distance on Earth and complicated due to her off-world schedule and his commitments to the President but they'd somehow made it work. There had been long telephone calls; messaging when they were both working and online; some stolen weekends here and there. Jack had usually found some excuse to get to the SGC if they went too long without setting eyes on each other. The distance hadn't mattered because they were finally together as a couple.

Her eyes closed as tears sprang up. He hadn't encouraged her to take the Atlantis job but he hadn't stopped her either. He'd been upfront that as General O'Neill he had supported Woolsey's recommendation that she was the best candidate; equally upfront that given his obvious conflict of interest he had no idea if it had influenced the decision at all. He had told her that it was her decision whether to take it; that he would support her no matter what.

' _I just need to know we're going to be OK.'_ Her words to him echoed in her head.

' _We're going to be OK.'_

He'd kissed her then. Her fingers smoothed over her berry-smudged lips as though to remember the kiss with all its tenderness and love.

She opened her eyes and blinked back the tears. Would she ever see him again? Be kissed by him again?

She was trying hard not to feel discouraged at her lack of progress but it was difficult. She was stranded on a planet with no means of communication and no way of getting home.

Jack had thought the same, Sam reminded herself. He'd been lost on a moon with Harry Maybourne for weeks before she had realised where a portal device had transported him. They had found him and brought him home. She hadn't given up on him and she knew with a bone-deep certainty he would never give up on her.

Her lips firmed and she pushed herself to her feet. She couldn't give up either.

He would find her.

She just had to hold on and believe that.

o-O-o

He hadn't found her.

Jack climbed out of the glider, exhausted both from the long flight he'd made and the failure. He'd stayed out longer than most of the gliders, desperately searching for something; anything that would give a hint for where to look, where to find her.

Twelve days and no sign. They were due to meet up with the Daedalus in twenty-four hours; the search along the axis would have been ostensibly completed. The Pentagon would expect them to return to normal operations; they'd declare Carter dead and arrangements would be made for someone to take over on Atlantis.

His chin lifted in mute rebellion. Well, they might give up but he wouldn't. Sam was somewhere out there. She was alive and fighting to get home. He believed it because he couldn't bear to believe anything else.

Jack stripped off his flight gloves and made his way into the changing room. He stopped at the sight of the woman sitting on the bench between the lockers, her expression hidden behind a curtain of dark hair.

Vala.

He was so not in the mood for her antics.

'Vala,' Jack began with exasperation, 'this is the men's changing rooms. Out.'

'I've been waiting for you.' Vala lifted her head and the glimmer of tears stopped Jack in his tracks.

She was crying? He felt a moment of panic. Where the hell was Daniel?

'They threw me out of engineering and they won't let me take one of the gliders and I want to do something!' Vala rushed out as she barrelled to her feet and began to pace. 'Everyone understands if Daniel wants to get in a glider with Teal'c but if I want to go along? It's a no!' She turned away from him and swiped at her face. 'Sam's my friend too and...'

'You can come with me next time.' Jack hurried out.

Vala spun back around to him with suspiciously dry eyes.

His own narrowed.

'Really? Thank you!' She launched herself at him and hugged him hard; he didn't respond and she pulled back.

Jack folded his arms over his chest and regarded her with a wary even stare. 'Have to give you credit, Vala, you almost had me there.' He replied coldly. Damn it. He was too tired to deal with her crap.

Vala opened her mouth to protest, took one look at him and closed it again. She sniffed. 'What gave me away?'

Jack just continued to stare at her.

She sighed, conceding the game but she continued to look at him hopefully. 'OK, but can I still come with you in the glider?' She read the reply on his face and sat down huffily. 'I meant every word you know.' She folded her arms. 'I do want to do something. I care about her too!'

And she did; Jack knew that underneath Vala's defensive bluster was genuine caring. The two women were good friends; surprising at times given they were like night and day but there it was. He felt a pang of empathy. Maybe the former thief's crap had been well-justified at being thwarted in her attempts to contribute; he knew he'd be raising hell if he couldn't actually do anything to help. As it was he and Ellis had gone a couple of rounds on Jack going out with the gliders. The Colonel hadn't been keen on risking the Head of Homeworld Security. Jack had finally pulled rank to end the debate; Ellis's protest was on record but Jack couldn't bring himself to be concerned about the potential political fallout when he got home.

Jack sat down beside her. 'You can come with me.' He conceded. He held up a finger before she could react and she mimed zipping her mouth shut. 'On one condition.'

'Anything.' Vala agreed swiftly.

'No more tricks.' Jack said firmly.

She nodded furiously and stuck out her hand. He grimaced but shook it.

'Now, scat.' Jack said bluntly.

Vala headed out but half-way to the door, she turned and ran back to him, wrapping her arms around him and hugging him fiercely again. 'She's going to be OK. I won't believe anything else; I won't.'

Jack felt his throat close up. He slowly put his own arms around her and hugged her back, unable to reply.

o-O-o

The lizard was following her.

Sam was certain of it. Either that or she was going nuts. Possibly, Sam conceded, it was the latter. She'd spent ten days on the planet with no-one to talk to, no-one around. Nothing to do but follow the river and hoped it led somewhere. Her lizard friend had been with her every step of the way. Usually it stayed back and only approached during her rest stops. It had finally deigned to eat the nuts and berries she offered, grabbing them from her hand and darting away again to eat them at a safe distance. Sam knew she really needed the food but she didn't mind the loss; she was just pleased with the company. She'd named her companion Toto because all in all she felt like she had landed in Oz; a strange unknown world, and all she wanted to do was to go home.

The feeling of isolation had gotten worse during the last day. She had entered dense woodland and the sense of the walls closing in on her was overwhelming. Not to mention it made staying by the edge of the river difficult. Sharp downward inclines had appeared between her and the water; trees blocked the way. She watched her footing but it was hard going especially when her body was exhausted from too little sleep and not enough food.

The river was wider; the flow faster. There had been a series of rapids that under normal circumstances she would have loved to have kayaked through. As it was they had indicated that the river was becoming dangerous. She had stayed in the shallows to bathe the previous evening but she could feel the pull of the flow on her legs and ankles.

The wildlife was also getting bigger. Her clams and plankton had disappeared but the fish were a more reasonable size, providing a filling meal when combined with some of the nuts and berries she continued to collect. The woodland had also offered fruit trees and creatures that looked like birds but acted like rabbits. She had managed to trap one the night before and had roasted it on the fire. It tasted like over-stewed rhubarb. She'd almost gagged and wasn't sure that she was going to try another despite the fact that the leather jumpsuit had become roomier than when she had first donned it.

She would have given anything for a proper shower, a toothbrush and clean clothes. A bed, Sam thought longingly. With crisp cotton sheets, firm pillows and Jack, his arms wrapped around her and his legs tangled with hers, keeping her safe...

Sam grasped a nearby branch to lever herself upward. Her sleep was filled with dreams. She'd woken that morning certain that she would find Jack beside her the dream had felt so real and she had almost cried at the reality.

Her lips thinned. She just had to keep going. She had to believe she would find help; had to believe she would make it home.

Think about something else, Sam instructed herself brusquely. Her mind zipped back to her command; Atlantis. It was a beautiful city. There was so much of it still unexplored; so much of it unknown to them. Sam had read Elizabeth's journals; of the exploration of the city with each new day bringing some new discovery. Sam had experienced it herself and she could see how addictive it was; how the city beguiled and seduced its occupants into a fierce attachment for its towering spirals and hidden rooms. It was no wonder Daniel had wanted to explore it so badly...

He'd been on the list for her job; Sam was sure of it. Daniel could even have been the collective IOA's preferred choice; he was a civilian, the foremost expert on the Ancients, his diplomatic skills were second to none and he had enough military experience that he could have qualified as an honorary Air Force Colonel even if he didn't see it that way. She figured it was the Replicators that had swung it her way in the end; she was the foremost technical expert on them. Daniel had been nothing but gracious about her appointment though.

She had wondered briefly if he would lobby to come with her but at her leaving party he had quietly confessed to her that as much as he wanted to be in Atlantis, he figured with her absent, Jack needed him more in the Milky Way. Sam had agreed, understanding that Daniel wanted to stay around and support Jack. The two men had a loyalty that preceded SG1 and she respected that. As Daniel's friend she was disappointed not to have him in Atlantis, but as Jack's wife she was more than happy that her husband had his closest friend around while she was so far away.

Daniel would be with Jack as soon as they heard the news that she was missing and she...

Her foot slipped.

She felt her ankle twist sharply as she went down, her arms flying out to try and save her as she tumbled down the steep incline toward the river.

Branches tore at her clothing; scratched her face and hands as she sought to stop her descent. She landed with a thump against a rock, her head slamming against its brown hard surface.

She literally saw stars; her vision darkening as she fought for consciousness. She lay where she was panting. Her eyes cleared; pain arrowing through her temple. She lifted a trembling bloody hand and winced at the lump her fingers found.

Sam slowly manoeuvred into a sitting position. Stupid, she berated herself. So stupid. The last thing she needed was an injury. She grimaced as her ankle screamed a protest at being shifted. She probed it delicately; wiggled her toes inside her boot. A sprain. She didn't think she'd broken it. It would be best if she left the boot on. She tracked her fall back up the hill with her eyes. She saw her pack and walking staff strewn towards the top where she had dropped them.

The lizard looked at her from its position by the staff. Its colour had changed to a muddy greeny-brown enabling it to fit in with the forest floor. She watched in amazement as it nudged the stick, rolling it downwards to her.

'Thank you.' She stuttered.

It bounded away again and returned dragging her pack. Her initial surprise abated, she considered it with new eyes as it retreated to a safe distance.

'I probably shouldn't have assumed you weren't intelligent.' Sam murmured. 'Because you are _very_ smart.' She wet her lips. 'Do you know what I'm saying? Do you understand me?'

The lizard blinked at her but it didn't move or speak.

Sam sighed and gingerly touched her head again. Her fingers came away smudged with fresh blood. 'I guess I should fix myself up.'

It took her a long time to crawl the remaining distance to the river's edge, to wash away the worst of the blood and to wrap her head with the grey cloth soaked in water. She had a concussion; shock. She managed to build a small fire by the rock and huddled beside it. She would take the rest of the day and night to recover, Sam thought muzzily. She would start walking again in the morning. Her eyes fluttered closed and her last sight was of the lizard standing guard over her with a look in its eyes that reminded her of Teal'c.

o-O-o

Jack stormed into his quarters and slammed the door behind him. It made a resounding bang that pleased him. He marched up to the window and tried to catch his breath. His body vibrated with anger.

They'd met up with the Daedalus two hours earlier and the joint briefing on progress had been tense given the lack of success.

Both Caldwell and Ellis had expressed concern at continuing to search given the likelihood that any residual radiation signatures would have decayed given the time since Carter's abduction. McKay had asserted they had no idea how long the signature would last; it was unknown; it was possible it was still out there.

The argument had been loud and passionate; tempers rising on both sides. Jack had kept quiet. He could understand Caldwell's and Ellis's position; they had their crews to think about. In the case of the Daedalus, it had already been out in the Pegasus galaxy two weeks beyond its scheduled return. The crew deserved to head for Earth and downtime. The Apollo similarly was facing an extended assignment – one that would keep extending the longer they searched. They'd already covered the length of the axis and found nothing. Moreover, in the midst of the discussion, they'd received new orders via Teyla, who had been left in charge of Atlantis, that the IOA were demanding the return of Sheppard, McKay and Ronon to the city.

But he also wanted what the Atlantis team and SG1 so desperately wanted; to continue the search. The Atlantis team had lost too many; they didn't want to lose Carter too. He'd seen the lurking guilt in Sheppard's eyes, the question of whether it should have been his team with Carter and not Bailey's. McKay had been as vocal as ever; he and Ellis seemed to have some kind of pissing contest going on. Daniel had been SG1's advocate; making the case for continuing to search with clear logic and a sense of compromise. They'd all looked to Jack for the final decision.

Jack had wondered if he'd had any right to demand they continue the search; had considered the needs of the two crews, of Atlantis itself; he'd tried to do what he'd always had to do; act as General O'Neill and not as Jack, the man in love with Samantha Carter. But there was a compromise and he'd taken it: the Daedalus would return to Earth, dropping the Atlantis team at the nearest Stargate so they could travel back to the city. The Apollo would continue onto Atlantis back along the axis, continuing to search at jump points spaced between the ones already tried. Caldwell had offered to do the same on their journey out of Pegasus.

It wasn't enough, Jack thought angrily. What he wanted was to commit every resource at General O'Neill's disposal to finding Carter.

The door opened behind him and Daniel stepped inside the room. Jack could see his reflection in the window as Daniel walked up to join him. They didn't speak for a long moment.

'It's a good compromise, Jack.' Daniel said quietly. 'You did the right thing.'

'And if we don't find her?' The angry question tumbled out before Jack could stop it.

'You would have still done the right thing.' Daniel sighed and folded his arms over his chest, sending his open BDU shirt askew against the black fabric of his t-shirt. 'Sam would understand, Jack.'

It didn't comfort him that Jack knew Daniel was right. Carter would understand. She faced the same challenges as he did balancing their professional lives as Colonel Carter and General O'Neill with their personal lives as Sam and Jack. Jack looked up at the ceiling. He'd hated the balancing act when he and Carter hadn't been together but since they'd married, he hated it more. He'd even recommended her for the damned Atlantis position because it was the right thing to do.

'The Daedalus has left already.' Daniel informed him. 'I think the Atlantis team were unhappy about being sent back to the city.'

'They'll survive.' Jack muttered. He wasn't exactly thrilled himself. He snorted. He was an idiot.

'You're not an idiot.' Daniel remonstrated gently and Jack realised belatedly that he'd said the words out loud. 'You can be an ass but you're not an idiot.'

'Thank you.' Jack said dryly.

'No problem.' Daniel smiled at him and for a second the tension lifted.

Jack rubbed the back of his neck feeling the muscles unknot slowly as he accepted the decision he'd made and his thoughts turned to Carter. Was she OK? Was she being tortured? Had she escaped already but hadn't found her way back yet? He sighed heavily.

'Mitchell was going to start the calculating the next set of glider sweeps.' Daniel said, nudging him. 'You coming?'

Jack shook his head. 'I just need a minute.'

Daniel nodded, his blue eyes shining with compassion. 'Want some company?'

'You're giving me a choice?' Jack asked.

'Well, no,' Daniel admitted, 'but I thought,' he shrugged, 'you know; I'd ask anyway.'

It was so like Daniel that Jack had to smile. It faded a moment later.

'We're going to find her, Daniel.' Jack asserted forcefully.

Daniel met his fierce gaze with one of his own. 'Yes. We are.'

o-O-o

Sam was hot. Too hot. She felt as though her entire body was burning up. She'd woken that morning with her brain feeling fuzzy and shivering. She'd barely had enough energy to relight the fire, have some water and to curl up in a better position to sleep. Walking any further was out of the question.

She shivered. She was ill. Her wounds seemed OK; there was no obvious sign of infection but she was undoubtedly sick. Sick and injured. It was the worst thing that could have happened. She had no medication with her; there had been no sign of anything purporting to be a first aid kit in the spacecraft when she'd searched it. Her body would have to fight the infection itself.

The lizard had seemingly abandoned her overnight. It had disappeared and Sam felt its absence. She wished it had stayed. It had made her feel less alone thinking it was with her.

She slipped in and out of sleep. Every time she woke, she'd drag herself to the river, bathe her face in the cool water and drink before she returned to the rock and the fire. The fourth time she woke; her body convulsed, harsh coughs wracking her lungs and burning her throat raw. She struggled to breathe and lay helplessly on the ground.

Suddenly, her lizard friend appeared beside her out of thin air, a human-looking woman beside it. Sam gasped for breath and her eyes widened as she took in the woman's features. She reminded Sam of Lya of the Nox. She had the same small figure, the same delicate features and the same wild lilac hair and violet eyes.

The woman looked at her and reached out a hand to Sam's forehead. Sam tried to scuttle back but the rock was behind her and the hand landed. The woman looked at the small lizard and it was as though a silent conversation took place between them. The lizard abruptly left again, vanishing before her eyes. Apparently she had been right the day before; the lizard creature was an intelligent life-form.

Sam wet her dry, cracked lips. 'Please. Help me.' The voice whispered out, barely audible to her own ears.

The woman hummed under her breath as though in reply. Her other hand moved to rest over Sam's chest and Sam realised the woman was somehow listening to her breathing; her heartbeat; making a medical assessment.

Another human appeared; a male this time. He hurried over to Sam and gestured. Another silent conversation took place over her; Sam could sense it. She began to panic. What if they believed her a threat? She was so vulnerable...

' _Easy, child.'_ The voice appeared in her head like magic. _'You are safe.'_ She smiled. _'We are of the Nox.'_

Sam found her eyes caught by the woman's violet gaze. A second later, her stomach lurched as the forest blurred away and she found herself lying on a small couch. Her clothes disappeared but before she could cover her nakedness, they were replaced by thin white pyjamas, not too dissimilar to medical scrubs but made of some kind of silky fabric that cooled her body and soothed her aches. Sam felt the woman's hand against her brow again and felt the siren pull into sleep.

' _Do not fight it.'_ The woman cautioned. _'We are healing you. Rest easy, child.'_

Sam blinked desperately. A part of her wanted to stay awake; to be on guard against what they would do; to witness it; to ask questions. But her body pulled rank and she drifted into a deep sleep.

When she woke again, sunlight streamed into the room she occupied. It was all white; the deep cushiony floor; the linen on the bed; the walls and the ceiling. She greedily drank from the jug of water on the table beside the bed before she pushed the covers back and swung into a sitting position on the edge of the bed.

She checked her arms and hands. They were free of the violent red scratches that had marred them after her fall. A brief check of her head confirmed that her bump had gone. She just felt incredibly weak. She attempted to get to her feet. She wobbled; her legs trembling beneath her unsteadily. She grimaced but staggered over to the window.

Her mouth fell open. She was in a room at the top of a tower; all around her was a bustling city; incredibly advanced; small bullet-like crafts whizzed by in the air along with a number of reptilian creatures that resembled drawings of dragons. It was breath-taking.

A movement behind her drew her attention and she looked over her shoulder to find her healer and lizard companion beside the bed.

'Hi.' Sam smiled weakly. 'Thank you.' She gestured at herself. 'I'm Colonel Samantha Carter.'

'We know who you are, child.' The woman smiled. 'I am Neeya.'

'I didn't realise there were Nox in the Pegasus galaxy.' Sam commented.

'This is our home.' Neeya smiled. 'A small number of our brethren departed many thousands of years ago to explore. We believed they had been lost. It is wondrous to us to know they are safe and thrive still.' She sat down and patted the bed. Sam walked over to her and sat down with relief. She was exhausted.

'You have taken many hours to heal.' Neeya chided her. 'You need to rest.'

'I am incredibly grateful for your help,' Sam began urgently, 'but I need a way to contact my people; to return to them. If I could get to the Stargate...'

'We have no Stargate.' Neeya broke the news with gentle compassion. 'And we have no space-worthy craft. We have no need to explore; we have everything we need here.'

 _I don't._ The unspoken words trembled on Sam's lips and she firmed them as though to prevent the words from escaping. Neeya's eyes widened anyway and Sam realised she had read the truth straight from her mind. Sam dropped her gaze.

Neeya reached out and stroked Sam's long hair back over her shoulder. 'Do not worry, child. We can send you home.'

'How?' Sam asked.

'We can transport you there through space.' Neeya said matter-of-factly.

'Translocation?' Sam questioned. She remembered how Neeya and the lizard creature seemed to just appear and her own fuzzy trip from the forest to the medical room.

Neeya nodded. 'But it will take more than I to perform such a feat.' She smiled and stood up. 'I will arrange it.' She disappeared before Sam could say anything, leaving her alone with the lizard.

Sam smiled at him. 'I owe you a big thank you.'

It beamed at her and hurried across to push its head into her hand. She petted it gently. 'I guess Dorothy is going home, Toto. I wish I could take you with me but I think you belong here.'

The lizard purred and Sam smiled brightly for the first time in days. She was going home; she was going home to Jack.

o-O-o

Jack ran onto the bridge of the Apollo and started out at the blanket of stars. 'What happened?' He demanded briskly, turning for answers to the Apollo's commanding officer.

'We just fell out of hyperspace.' Ellis explained.

'Why?' Daniel asked as he came to a halt beside Jack.

'Lieutenant?' Ellis prompted the technician at the engineering console.

'I'm not sure, sir.' The Lieutenant grimaced. 'All systems are reading normal. I can't explain it.' She looked up apologetically from the monitors. 'I recommend we run some tests before resuming course, sir.'

'Granted.' Ellis said firmly. He swivelled back to the front. 'Captain Tennyson, start the long range sensor sweeps for the radiation signature. We might as well do something useful while we wait.'

Jack blew out a relieved breath.

'We could take the gliders out.' Mitchell jumped in. 'Do some jumps from here.'

Jack nodded. 'Sounds like...'

 _Jack._

Jack stopped abruptly. He frowned. He could have sworn he'd heard Carter calling his name.

'Sir?' Mitchell asked, concerned.

'Jack?' Daniel turned to him inquisitively.

It had finally happened, Jack thought tiredly. He'd finally gone nuts. 'Sorry,' he waved at them, 'I was...'

 _Jack._

He stopped completely still. There it was again. Her voice.

 _Jack._

'General,' Ellis began.

'Shhh!' Jack raised a finger impatiently. 'Don't you hear that?'

There was complete silence on the bridge.

'Hear what?' Ellis inquired, his tone properly respectful. 'I don't hear anything, General.'

'It's Carter.' Jack said firmly. He looked around as though he would find her standing amongst them.

Daniel exchanged a worried look with Mitchell. Ellis looked at them pointedly; he expected them to step in because it was clear Ellis wasn't going to insult a two-star General by suggesting he'd gone loopy.

'Jack, maybe you should get some rest.' Daniel said softly. 'Maybe all of us should. It's been...'

 _Jack._

Jack shushed him. 'There it was again.'

'I didn't hear anything either.' Vala admitted, her mobile face a picture of confusion as she leaned on the back of the navigator's chair.

There was a sudden crescendo of noise as everyone began to talk again rushing to confirm they had also heard nothing.

 _Jack._

'Quiet.' Teal'c demanded. He silenced everyone effectively. His dark eyes darted to Jack's in wide understanding. He'd heard her too.

'You can hear something, Muscles?' Vala asked urgently.

'Indeed.' Teal'c straightened; his hands clasped behind his back. 'I believe I heard Colonel Carter.'

Daniel's eyes widened and he spun around to Jack, speculation in his blue eyes. 'Maybe she's trying to communicate somehow.' He gestured at Jack. 'Try talking to her.'

Jack turned back to the front of the Apollo and took two steps towards the window. He cleared his throat self-consciously. 'Carter?'

 _Jack._

The air in front of him shimmered. He could see her and the gasp behind him told him everyone else could see her too. She stood in front of him as insubstantial as mist. Her blue eyes were open, her long blonde hair loose around her shoulders and she was wearing white pyjamas.

'Oh God.' Vala's choked whisper drifted across the quiet bridge. 'She's a ghost!'

 _ **No.**_ Jack rejected that thought violently as he reached for Carter unthinkingly. His hand pushed through the unnaturally thick air surrounding her and closed around hers. She was real. Her fingers opened and tangled with his.

'Come on, Carter.' Jack ordered as he tugged her ruthlessly. 'Come _on_.' For a horrifying second, he felt her fingers slipping from his and her form wavered in front of him.

 _Please. Jack._

Her desperate plea resounded through him. She wanted to come home but he could hear her exhaustion.

'Don't you dare give up, Carter.' Jack muttered under his breath. 'Fight, damn it!'

Her hand solidified around his again. He tightened his grip immediately and yanked. The air around her gave way with a loud pop and Sam fell forward, a thin bundle of white silk that Jack caught, lowering her onto the floor gently.

Sam's hands fisted in the material of his shirt but she registered where she was before closing her eyes tiredly. 'Sir?' She said weakly.

'I've got you, Carter.' Jack whispered in her ear, hugging her closely to him. 'I've got you.'

She slumped against him, all her energy gone, and he yelled for a medic as the others surged forward and the bridge erupted in a chaotic babble.

Carter was home and she was safe.

That's all that mattered to him. All he cared about. His world was solid and right again.

He held on tightly. _I've got you._

o-O-o

She was home.

Or more accurately, Sam mused as she took in her surroundings, she was in an infirmary bed on the Apollo. She drank in the sight of Jack, sleeping in the chair beside her, his hand resting over hers on the top of the covers. How had it happened? The last thing she remembered was...

 _Sam stood nervously in the middle of the circle. Toto stood off to one side; she'd already said her goodbyes to the lizard._

' _Just think of home.' Neeya said to her as the large group of Nox gathered around her. They began to chant._

 _Sam closed her eyes. She should think of Atlantis; her command. She should return there. It was closer than Earth and she had a feeling it was going to take a lot for the Nox to just send her there._

 _But...her mind kept drifting to Jack. He would be worried about her; missing her. Just as she was missing him. She wanted Jack._

 _And suddenly, he was stood in front of her but she still couldn't reach him. The air was like pea soup; cloying and sweet, heavy around her. She thought she was probably caught in some kind of energy field between the Nox world and the Apollo. She tried to move but it had been so hard and she had been so tired. She heard Jack tell her to fight; his brown eyes fierce on hers. It took the last of her energy but she made one last leap..._

Her hand tightened around his.

Jack's eyes blinked open immediately. He cleared his throat and straightened. His hair was askew; his jaw shadowed with overnight growth. He looked exhausted and her heart twinged painfully in her chest. She knew she had been the cause of his worry and lack of sleep.

'Hey.' Jack greeted her, his fingers rubbing against hers.

'Hey.' Sam replied. She accepted the drink he handed her and sipped up the water gratefully. 'You look tired.'

Jack shrugged as he replaced the water glass on the cabinet. 'You're the one suffering from exhaustion.'

Sam's lips twitched. 'We make a right pair, don't we?'

Jack grinned at her. 'Yep.' He brushed his thumb over her knuckles and took a breath, his expression sobering. 'Bailey, Gent and Jones didn't make it. Hissock survived.'

She knew Jack had known she'd want to know but it didn't stop her from flinching nor the guilt that rose up her gullet. She'd hoped; she'd so hoped they would all be fine. She blinked back tears and her hand tightened on Jack's.

'You want to talk about it?' Jack asked mildly.

She glanced at him. He wouldn't push it; she could see it in his face. If she wanted to wait until her official report, he'd understand. Her gaze shifted to the ceiling; the pattern of the tiles.

'They thought I was Elizabeth.' Sam began quietly. She filled him in on everything; her escape, the planet, the lizard.

Jack listened carefully, not interrupting her. His grip had tightened almost painfully when she'd told him of her fall and the subsequent infection. His expression lightened as she explained about the Nox.

'Got to love those guys.' Jack murmured. He raised her hand and kissed the palm gently.

Sam cast an anxious look toward the closed door. They were alone but aboard the Apollo they were still ostensibly on duty, General and Colonel, just as they were on any Air Force base or craft.

Jack smiled in understanding. 'Teal'c's standing watch outside.'

She got his message that they wouldn't be disturbed and suddenly she couldn't bear that he was so close and still so distant. She wanted him closer to her; needed him closer to her. She let her fingers wrap around his and tugged at him to join her on the bed.

His eyebrows rose. 'Carter?' There was a laugh in his voice but he climbed up willingly. He remained on top of the covers as they shifted to cuddle against each other. His arm slid around her shoulders; hers around his waist, her head rested on his chest and she closed her eyes at the solid, reassuring presence of him, breathed him in, listened to his steady heartbeat under her palm.

'How long?' asked Sam as she felt his lips graze her forehead.

'Not long.' Jack admitted, knowing without further explanation needed that she wanted to know how long they had to spend together. 'We're rendezvousing with the Daedalus in an hour. They're only half a day out from a Stargate. You'll join Sheppard and the others; gate back to Atlantis.' He paused. 'SG1 and I will transfer to Daedalus and make our way back to Earth. The Apollo will continue onto Atlantis with its supplies.'

They lay together for a long while; holding each other.

Sam moved eventually, lifting her head to look at him.

Jack smoothed a hand over her cheek, leaned forward and kissed her gently. For moments, nothing existed but them. He inched away and gazed at her with warm chocolate eyes filled with so much love for her that her heart skipped in her chest.

Sam smiled. She'd been right the first time, Sam realised. She was home: she was with Jack.

fin.


End file.
